If you are looking for ideas for a last minute city break, you might want to consider Brussels, and I am going to tell you why.

Firstly if you choose to travel with iDBUS you will be pleased to know that they do not change the price of their tickets depending on when you book, I know good right? Brussels is just one of several city destinations that you can travel to with iDBUS, but I am going to focus on Brussels because it’s nearly Easter. And iDBUS offer a line between London and Brussels and where better to go at Easter than to a city renowned for its quality and utterly mind blowing delicious chocolate….

If indulging in the act of consuming chocolate in Brussels, whether you be eating it or drinking it, or maybe having it poured over a sugary Belgium waffle, isn’t quite enough chocolate madness for you, why not take yourself off to a chocolate making class. The Laurent Gerbaud Chocolatier comes highly recommended. Of course there is also a chocolate and cocoa museum for those hard core chocolate enthusiasts among you.

Whilst on the subject of eating I should mention that if you are in the mood to splash out Brussels is also famous for its Michelin star restaurants. In the touristy areas of Brussels such as the Grand Place and the Rue de Boucher, restaurants can get pricey, so try heading a little away from the tourist spots for great food at good prices. I recommend Le Coin des Artistes (Place Flagey) for traditional French dishes, including the infamous Moules Frites in a white wine sauce, (that’s Mussels and Chips to you!).

For somewhere close to the main square that doesn’t break the bank head to the Moroccan restaurant Kasbah, delicious traditional Moroccan food with pretty and colourful glass lanterns hanging from the ceiling.

Now that you know where to eat, you might also be thinking, how about that famous Belgium beer? I am going to let you into a secret on this, don’t head to Delirium where most of the tourists go, mingle with more Belgium locals at the Moeder Lambic. Here you will get a great selection of beers and an authentic experience.

Asides from eating and drinking in Brussels you will definitely want to explore the city, just wandering around it alone is a joy. Architecturally the centre is wonderful. The Grand Place, the main square in Brussels, is made up of grand 17th century Flemish Renaissance buildings, and in 1998 it was declared a World Heritage of UNESCO site. To quote the famous French writer Victor Hugo, it is simply ‘the most beautiful square in Europe’.

A great day out should also involve a trip to the Atomium, a futuristic structure towering 102m above the ground. The structure is that of an atom, and is made up of 9 spheres connected by 20 tubes. What is all of this about? I hear you ask. The Atomium was originally a temporary structure built for the purpose of the 1958 World Fair, the first one after World War II, and it was built to symbolise democracy and to represent progression into a future of technological advancement.

When you go inside the Atomium it is like walking into a Spaceship, escalators are held within the enclosed space of the connecting tubes. Make sure you go to the top of the Atomium for the best views of Brussels.

If you have enough time, I would also highly recommend taking some time out from the hustle and bustle of the main city centre and take a peaceful walk around Brussels’s Green Belt where you can see the ancient villages that have shaped the cities’ farms, woods and countryside.

Travellers. Giant-Steppers. Serial Expats.

Hi! We're Gillian and Jason. In January 2013 we left our 'home and native land' for untold adventures in far away lands. Our plan is loose at best; our only goals are freedom and happiness. Follow along as we make, and tell, our stories.